Vehicle-hub.



' Patented Nov. I3, 1900.

J. 'SHAVER.

VEHICLE HUB.

(Application filed July 9, 1900.!

(NoModgL) Willy/7111111011- VII/J UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH SHAVER, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

VEHICLE-HUB.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 661,590, dated November13, 1900.

Application filed July 9, 1900.

To all whmn it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH SHAVER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Milwaukee, county of Milwaukee, and State of Wisconsin, haveinvented new anduseful Improvements in Vehicle-Hubs, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in steering mechanism formechanically-propelled vehicles; and it pertains to that class in whichthe steering or guiding wheels are separately pivoted, so that thevehicle may "be guided without turning or changing the relative positionof the axle of such wheels to the body of the vehicle.

My invention pertains more especially to the construction andarrangement of the vehicle-trunnions by which the wheel,journalbearings, and hub are pivotally connected with the axle of thevehicle; and the objects of my improvements are to simplify theconstruction, exclude dust from the journal-bearings, and provide meansfor automatic lubrication of the contiguous moving surfaces.

My invention is further explained by reference. to the accompanyingdrawings, in which Figure l is a central vertical section. Fig. 2 is atop View, part in section; and Fig. 3 represents the inner or right-handside of the wheel-hub, part in section, with the axle andjournal-bearings removed.

Like parts are identified by the same reference-letters throughout theseveral views.

A is a hollow hub to which the spokes B are secured in recesses O by theannular plate D and rivets E, as indicated.

F is a horizontal hollow trunnion which is rigidly affixed to the hub Aeither by an ordinary screw-threaded joint or by a Babbittmetal joint G,as shown in Fig. 1.

H is a metal sleeve within which the trunnion F rotates, said sleeve andtrunnion together forming the axial or journaledbearings of the wheel.

I and I are hollow vertical trunnions which are respectively secured attheir inner ends to Serial No. 22,946. (No model.)

together with the hub A, trunnion F, and sleeve H, is free to turntoward the right or left on said vertical trunnions I I, as may berequired to guide the vehicle, while the axle L remains at rest. Therequired motion for guiding the vehicle is communicated to the twosteeringwheels (one only of which is shown) by the steering-arm M, whicharm is secured to the side of the sleeve H by screws or bolts N.

O is a brass or Babbitt-metal antifrictionhearing which is preferably,but not necessarily, interposed between the trunnion F and sleeve H. Theupper trunnion I is provided with an oil-chamber P and a cover Q, whichcover is removed when supplying the chamber with oil.

R is an annular groove formed in the trunnion-bearing R, whichcommunicates with the oil-chamber P through the duct S, whereby it isobvious that the contiguous bearings of the trunnion I are keptlubricated from the chamber P.

The upper end of the trunnion I is provided with an annular flange T, inwhich a groove U is formed for the reception of the annular shoulder V,the office of which shoulder and groove is to prevent dust or sand fromentering the bearings of said trunnions.

The lower trunnion I is provided with an oil-chamber W, which is filledwith oil from the chamber A through the oil-duct B. C is an an nnlaroil-chamber, which is filled with oil from the chamber W through theduct D. The oil-chamber A is filled with oil from an ordinary oil-canthrough the duct E,formed in the sleeve-retaining nut or cap G. Theoil-ducts F F are formed through. the wall of the trunnion F, by whichoil from the chamber A is led to the contiguous surfaces of saidtrunnion and the inclosing sleeve. It will be obvious that when theoil-chambers A and P have been supplied with oil the same will beautomatically fed by gravity to all the contiguous wearing-surfaces ofthe trunnions and sleeves, whereby such parts will be antomaticallylubricated for a long period of time without further attention.

It will be understood that the steering-arms of the two guiding-wheels,one of which is not shown, are adapted to be connected with a singleguiding-arm in the ordinary manner, by which both guiding-wheelsaresimultaneously turned and the'vehicle is guided.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In separately-pivoted steering-wheels? for mechanically-propelledvehicles, the combination of a hollow hub; an inwardly-projecting hollowhorizontal trunnion rigidly affixed at one end to said hollow hub; asleeve within which said trunnion rotates; asleeveretaining nut or caphaving screw-threaded hearings in the inner wall of said hollowtrunnion; two vertical hollow trunnions rigidly affixed at theiropposing ends to the Walls .of said sleeve; a vehicle-axle; bifurcated.armsconnected with such vehicle-axle, provided with journaledbearings,.one above and one below'said horizontal trunnion, withinsaidhollow hub, for the receptionofsaidl vertical trunnion; and oilducts or passages; communicating from oil-spaces in said tron-fnionswith the bearing-surfaces of said trun-i nion, substantially as andfor the purpose; specified. E

2. In separately-pivoted steeringwheelsf for mechanically-propelledvehicles,the com-; bination of a hollow hub; an inwardly-projectinghollow horizontal trunnion rigidly affixed at one end of said hollowhub; a sleeve within which said trunnion rotates; asleeveretaining nutor cap having screw-threaded bearings in the inner wall of such hollowtrunnion; an oil-aperture formed through said'nut or cap fortheintroduction of oil; two .vertical hollow trunnions rigidly affixedat their opposing ends, to the walls of said sleeve, said upper verticaltrunnion being provided with an annular flange in which an annulargroove is formed for the reception of a corresponding shoulder of thetrunnion bearings a vehicle-axle; bifurcated arms affixed to said axle,provided with bearings,

one above and one below said horizontal trunretaining nutorcap havingscrew-threaded bearings in theinner -wall of said hollow trunnion; :twoverticalhollow trunnions rigidlyaffixedat their opposing ends to thewalls of said sleeve; a vehicle-axle; bifurcated arms provided withjournal-bearings, one above and onebelow said horizontal trunnion,within said hollow hub, for-the receptionof said vertical trunnions;oil-ducts communicating from the hollow spaces in the said uppervertical trunnion, with its journaled bearings; and an-oil-ductcommunicating from the oil-space in said horizontal trunnion to thehollow space in said lower vertical trunnion; and oil-ductscommunicating .from the spaces in said lower vertical trunnion, with itsjournaled bearings, substantially as andfor the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence oftwowitnesses.

JOSEPH SHAVER.

Witnesses:

J As.- B. ERWI-N, O, L. Ronscn.

